The Demon's Song
by KiraxMomo
Summary: -Vampire Academy- .Post-Frostbite. Rose is noticing strange things around the academy; mainly, a haunting song being hummed whenever she is alone outside. A lone Strigoi, hell-bent on revenge for Isiah, is gathering an army for assault on the Academy.
1. Watched

Hey folks! This is Kira's first ever multi-chapter fanfiction. I've put a lot of thought into it, so I'm trying really hard not to let it get abandoned. This is set AFTER Frostbite, so yes, there are spoilers. I'm not used to keeping up with something like this, so bear with me please. :3

Disclaimer; Only Jacob is mine. Tell 'em, Jake.

Jacob; Kira only owns me. She's not too proud of it though, I'm just a violent Stri -- -is kicked- OUCH! Sorry. Kira does not own Vampire Academy or any of Richelle Mead's characters. So please don't sue her.

Note: Except for Jacob's bits, the entire story is in Rose's POV. And Jacob's bits are obvious.

Chapter 1: Watched

Cloaked in the safety of the shadows, a man peeked out from behind a pine tree, his red irises peering into the school campus. Even from the safety of the snow-covered tree, he could feel the power of the wards radiating outwards, and his very essence shuddered from the force of life.

The man's chalky white face was a perfect mask, completely devoid of emotion. Only his vicious red eyes, which marked him for what he was, showed the tumult of anger, excitement, and hunger he felt.

"Oh, Rose..." he murmured. "Such a shame that that lovely body is going to waste." He _tut_ed softly. "Such a shame I'll have to rip it apart for killing Master Isiah."

The Strigoi's red-tinged eyes followed Rose Hathaway as she walked through the snow, seemingly carefree. He bared his fangs at her for a moment, and then he turned and quickly retreated back into the copse of trees.

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Guilt. Grief. Anger. Helplessness.

I didn't really know what to feel. Although two weeks had passed since my return from Spokane, I was still pretty torn up from all that had happened. The images of Isiah killing Mason, and me killing Isiah, were still fresh in my mind.

So not cool.

I tried my best to keep the 'tough Rose' ask on, I really did. Only a few people managed to see through it. Lissa knew me so well that she always knew when something was up. Mia, Eddie, and Christian knew is was a farce because they were all as shaken as I was. Nothing ever fooled Adrian - the damn flowers kept on coming, and Dimitri...well.

Ah, Dimitri.

I sighed as I trudged through the snow, and then abrubtly stopped. The hairs on the back of my neck prickle, and I would've bet my entrie wardrobe that someone was watching me. I glanced around nervously, but saw no one. Finally, I shrugged and continued my trek to the gym. It had felt so similar to how Lissa had felt before, so I checked on her through the bond, only to pull away quickly. Yikes. She was fine, alright. She was with Christian again. _Very_ happy.

Eventually, I reached the gym and, after one more look around, opened the door, feeling slightly anxious and very much perplexed. Dimitri glanced up at me from where he was sprawled on the gym floor, reading a Western novel as always, and smiled. I had to surpress a happy sigh. After the kiss after my molnija ceremony, I had leaned on him a lot. He was never, ever fooled by my tough-girl act. He knew what killing was like. He knew what death was like. He was the only one. I relyed on the practices to get me through the day. Soon, though, I wouldn't have that, thanks to the upcoming field experience. By now, I qualified, and I probably had very good chances of being assigned to Lissa.

My mind wandered as I ran the now effortless three miles Dimitri sent me on. My thoughts flashed from the strange sensation of being watched, then to Lissa, and then to our bond. That feeling had been so alike to what I had felt Lissa feel before we left, through our bond. Now she was pretty content, mostly. The medicine was doing a good enough job in surpressing the depression, but she said she was feeling closer to the magic than ever. Although she didn't say it out loud, I was acutely aware of how she hated not having the magic. The bond did a good job of ensuring I always knew what she was thinking, to my dismay.

I suddenly recalled what Adrian had said to me in my dream. _"You have shadows. You take them from Lissa." _I remembered those bundles of darkness in the recesses of Lissa's mind; the odd shudderings of the bond; the disappearance of those knots... and how I always had dark bursts of rage afterwards.

The rest of practice passed without incident, and I bounced away from the gym in a much better mood than I had arrived in. Dimitri's kisses can do that to a girl. I was almost to the drom when I noticed a misshapen lump lying on the ground a ways away. Curious, I approached it, only to have to repress the urge to gag.

My mind raced as it took in the gruesome sight. The lump was a snow hare, covered in long gashes. It took me a second to realize that there wasn't a drop of blood to be seen. Not on the snow, not on the hare, not even _in_ the hare. The poor creature had been entirely drained of blood. I shuddered in horror. Glancing around, I realized that the hare was in plain view. I grabbed a long stick and gently pushed in into the bushes, wincing from the smell. The last thing I needed was for someone to notice and start the nasty rumors from when Natalie was terrorizing Lissa with the dead animals.

Natalie was dead now, so I had no idea who - or what - could be behind this. Grimacing, I walked away from the bushes quickly and forced it out of my mind. My cautiously cheerful mood from before was gone.

Suddenly, the thought of facing Lissa and the rest of the school for another long, agonizing day made me want to scream.

(A/N: I will love you forever and ever and ever if you review. D Reviews will encourage me to keep going. Even if it's bad! Review! :3)


	2. Tarnished

**Eee! Quick update! I started writing last night and couldn't stop. Tell 'em again, Jacob.**

**Jake; Yes'm. Kira doesn't own Vampire Academy or any of its characters. She's not Richelle Mead. So don't sue her, kthx. It'd come out of my - OW! Sorry.**

**Guys, please please please review! Reviews will keep me going!**

**Chapter 2: Tarnished**

When all conversation stopped as Lissa and I walked into Animal Behavior later that day, I grimaced to myself. I couldn't bear to think about what new rumor had sprung up about us now. Ralf, pretentious asshole that he is, finally broke the silence.

"So, Rose," he drawled. "Working on getting kicked out again? As if the glory from saving the day wasn't enough." There were a couple nervous giggles, but my unstable reputation kept their mouths shut. To my surprise, Mia sent me a sympathetic look. I groaned inwardly, knowing someone had found the mutilated hare, but I feigned innocence anyways.

"What in the world are you talking about?" I asked, eyes wide. Lissa looked just as bewildered as I did, but hers was definitely real. I hadn't dared tell her about the poor thing. Ralf just shook his head mockingly and sneered at us. God, someday I was going to kill that -

"Come now. You obviously decided you were too good for this place - two molnijas already! - and went back to your old tricks. What did you do to that poor thing? Hang it up to drain after you killed it? What were you trying to do, make it -" He was cut off as Mia stalked up to him angrily, eyes flashing.

"You," she hissed, "are a jerk. Know your place and shut the hell up." Ralf backed away, clearly stunned.

"What, you're on her side now?" he asked snidely, but sat back down and let it drop.

The subdued air that hung about the classroom followed me around the rest of the day. Lissa's feelings of confusion and hurt reverberated through the bond. It really stung her that people still associated _slaughtered animals_ with us. The minute we we out of school, she started peppering me with questions.

"What were they talking about? Had you seen it? Do you know anything about it?"

I grimaced yet again. "Yeah, I do kinda know..." I answered, looking at my toes, "I found it this morning. Not wanting _this _to happen" - I gritted my teeth angrily then continued - "I tried to hide it. It was a snow hare. Covered in cuts. And... completely drained of blood." I heard her breath catch, and I avoided her gaze.

"Why didn't you-" she began, but I cut her off.

"I knew it'd hurt you, having it dead and you being unable to help. So I was going to keep it to myself." She cast one last accusatory glare my way, but she dropped it and I knew she understood.

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When the day finally ended, I collapsed gratefully into bed. Forcefully, I shoved the day's events out of my mind. I had no desire to continue mulling things over. I dropped blissfully off to sleep fast enough, but my bliss quickly turned to terror as nightmares took over.

Images flashed through my dreams, quick as lightning - the Badica massacre; Isiah and Elena's bloody corpses; Mason's face just before he died.

Finally, the agonizing images left me, and I was left walking through a dark forest. How cliche, I thought to myself grimly. That thought was only amplified by the glowing red eyes glaring at me from the shadows. Tall, slim figures detached themsleves from the darkness and approached me, their crimson eyes glowing menacingly.

I backed up slowly, preparing to run, when I heard the song. It was just a wordless humming, but the tune was beautiful - haunting, mysterious, and oddly soothing. I stopped retreating dazedly. One of the lead figures - Strigoi, I was sure of that now - slowly opened his mouth, revealing dripping fangs. "The darkness," he rasped. "It draws you nearer. The shadows, they -"

I jolted upright in bed, and had to slap my hand over my mouth to keep from screaming. Nightmares had become a huge problem for me after Spokane. The only person who knew about them was Dimitri. The song from the dream still lingered in my mind, and again I was struck by the haunting yet soothing quality it had. However, my musings were interrupted by a groan of exhaustion as I glanced at my clock. The glowing red numbers read 2:56 pm. Three in the afternoon. Great.

I groaned to myself again, and then buried myself under the covers. I let my tiredness pull my under the quiet black blanket of sleep again. This time, I didn't dream, but I dreaded facing the whispers and looks of the coming day with my entire being.

**(A/N; Click that little periwinkle button. It's not hard. I'll be encouraged to write faster if people review!)**


	3. Haunted

**Huzzah! Another relatively quick update! It took a while to get the words going (yay for sitting in bed with a blank piece of paper for an hour xD) but once I did, chapter 3 was done. D Some of this chapter may seem completely unimportant, but in this story, EVERYTHING'S there for a reason.**

**Thanks so much to my first (and only, so far) reviewer, tiha01! Love you so much for those. I feed off of the reviews, so people, please hit that little button and review for Kira.**

**Now, Jake, your turn.**

**Jake; Muahahahahahahahaha!**

**Kira; ...Jake. Snap out of it.**

**Jake; Muahahahahahaha!**

**Kira; -.-; Okay. Whatever. He's busy feeling like an evil genius. I do not own Vampire Academy or any of its characters. Only Jacob is mine. So don't sue me, please.**

**Chapter 3: Haunted**

It was ten times worse than I expected.

Even Christian lost his snide air as he told us what he had heard. "Mia said Jesse found a raven killed in the same way," he relayed to Lissa and me the next morning. "And I heard Carly say she saw another rabbit in the woods from her room's window." Lissa shuddered in horror at this gory piece of news.

Many of the students, both novices and Moroi, were completely freaked out by the strange killings. Even Ralf was shaken badly enough to drop the wild accusations. That didn't, however, stop the furtive looks and whispered conversations. It enraged me that they could still think _we_ had something to do with it! As the day wore on, it became more and more difficult to hold my head up under the weight of those stares. Surprisingly, the guardians didn't show much concern, or perhaps they didn't know.

At least, not until a drained and gutted fox was found placed carefully in front of the guardian's building.

They were less freaked about it than us, though. Concerned, yes. Disgusted, yes. However, they weren't whispering and pointing fingers like the royal Moroi students were. Goes to show just how much better guardians were than Moroi in a crisis.

I blinked and shook my head, slightly ashamed to have thought such a thing. The Moroi royals were great at what they did. When they did it.

I was cut off from my thoughts s Dimitri intercepted Lissa and me on our way to the Moroi dorms. He gave a respectful nod to Lissa, then turned to be briskly.

"Have you seen any of them?" he asked. I blinked again, confused, and then realized he was talking about the animals.

"Yeah," I replied slowly. "I found the first of them. A hare. I have no clue what's going on, though." His eyes searched my face in an odd manner. Distrusting, I realized. He didn't believe me?

What the hell was going on?

Dimitri grabbed my hand and practically dragged me away from Lissa. He pulled my along with him until we reached the guardian's building. Once inside, he retrieved two paper bags off of a desk. Two very _smelly _paper bags.

He held up one of the bags. This one hand some sort of lump in it. Clothes, maybe? I thought to myself. His next words made my stomach churn.

"This is the fox that was found," he said, and then held up the other bag. "This was _inside_ the fox." My stomach another flip at that.

Major ew.

He pulled out the contents and wordlessly held them out to me. Gingerly, I took the slightly soggy and very stinky envelopes from him. On it, my name was printed in the most beautiful, flowing calligraphy. Puzzled, I dumped it out onto the desk. A small piece of paper fluttered out, but what really got my attention was the white rectangle that thunked out onto the desk. It was a tape. Yes, the ancient breed of music recording. I glanced at Dimitri curiously, only to see him produce a tape player from out of nowhere. Frankly, I was stunned they had such a thing.

Reading my mind, Dimitri said, "It was bought just for this. We're not too happy with what we heard on it, though." I shrugged and stuck it in, then hit play.

_"Why hello there. I trust this is Rose listening?"_ a voice rasped from the speakers. _"Well, my dear, I thought you might... enjoy my little gift,"_ he continued, and then a maniacal laughter filled the room. Corny as it was, I shuddered. This guy was crazy. I was about to turn it off when I heard a faint humming in the background. It was soft and barely there, but it made me freeze.

The song from my dream grew louder and louder, and I swear the world stopped for a second. I don't even know why, but I was absolutely terrified.

Dimitri, sensing this, leaned over and hit the Stop button as soon as the vocals started.

_"The darkness comforts..."_

I snapped out of my fearful trance, and then turned my wide eyes on Dimitri.

"Do you know anything about this at _all_?" His words were like a whip, sharp and abrasive. I swayed unsteadily, suddenly faint, and tried to get my mouth to form the answer.

"No..." I whispered hoarsely. "It... it was in a dream. The song. That's all." I saw his eyes soften, and then the floor was rushing up to meet my face as my world went dark.

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Jacob chuckled softly at the sight before him. The sound was rough and scratchy. He had four Strigoi on his left, completely entranced by what he had done to them. Soon, they wouldn't even know who they were. All they'd know is Jacob, and that they were to fight for Jacob.

In the distance, he could see St. Vladimir's Academy. He saw how hesitantly the people were moving, and that just made him laugh harder. As he straightened up from the hysterics, his cloak fell a bit at the neckline, exposing a long, jagged scar running from his left ear down to his collarbone.

Ignoring this, he continued to evaluate his surroundings. His plan was coming along nicely, he decided. The song was working wonders on both the Academy and his army. Well, soon to be army, he corrected himself. Four other Strigoi and a few humans didn't really count. He'd have to thank Ajakiel for the brilliant tune. It affected everything – humans, dhapmirs, vampires, and even animals. The four dunces next to him were solid proof of that.

Grinning, he beckoned to the Strigoi, and they followed him back into the forest in a daze. It was time to begin the next step of his plan. Isiah would surely be proud of him for this part. The next step involved the ones who were always invisible – and never suspected.

The feeders.

**(A/N: Now, go ahead and click that little periwinkle (or is it lavender? Hmm, big color words.) button for Kira! More reviews encourages more chapters faster!)**


	4. Shattered

**Hokies, guys. I'm headed to camp in like 2 hours, so I won't be updating again until Saturday or so. Maybe Friday, but I dunno... camp is the land of no sleep and no A/C, so I'll probably be sleeping and lounging around for all of Friday. :3**

**Anyways. This chapter is pretty lame at first. Sorry 'bout that. And also, it switches to 3rd person POV to follow Lissa in the middle. Oh, and Lissa's OOC-ness? Totally intentional. They're all acting weird for a reason. Don't freak about it, 'kay?**

**Mucho luff to my reviewers – taha01, Twilight-on-the-brain, and Dark.**

**Chapter 4: Shattered**

I found myself in the dark forest again. The air was heavy and still. The moss-covered trees bent over me, like a protective canopy. Or claws. I shuddered from that mental image. I looked around, but saw no Strigoi lurking.

Instead, Mason glared at me balefully from under a tree. Soon, other figures joined him. They filled the area around me. Dimitri. Lissa. Christian. Mia. My mom. Guardians. Royals. All of them wore the same expression – distrust, wariness, and poorly disguised anger.

They all spoke at once, shattering the stillness. "It's your fault. You brought them here. How could you, Rose?" My heart wrenched, seeing the sadness in their eyes. I had betrayed them.

Wait. I had? What?

I shook myself, trying to clear my head, and then suddenly found myself awake, staring into Dimitri's concerned, bottomless brown eyes. The complete opposite of my dream. I forced those images from my mind and focused on the present.

"Where _am_ I?" I croaked, way too out of it to focus. Bleh.

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As it turned out, I had been in and out of consciousness for two days. I was never lucid – the best they could do was get me to drink water. As such, I was absolutely starving when I left the clinic.

"Mff mm mooo meirmf!" I said through a mouthful of chicken. I was trying to shovel as much food down as possible to keep my stomach from eating itself. Lissa glared at me for my table manners. I swallowed and repeated myself. "It was so weird!" I was in the midst of spilling everything to Lissa. I explained the dream, the recording, and the song, and then watched with dismay as her expression went from disbelief to annoyance.

"Rose, you know you don't have to lie to me, right?" she asked gently. I blinked, stunned.

"Um... but... it's not -"

"Did you really expect me to believe such a thing? Honestly, who would do all that?

"I don't -"

"I'm stunned the guardians bought it. And I thought you could trust me. Guess not." At this, she got up and walked away briskly, and then attached herself to Christian. I just sat there, utterly bewildered at her behavior. She wasn't even PMS'ing! I got that it was a bit far-fetched, but geez, why couldn't she trust me?

That same distrust was mirrored by the rest of the students. By the end of the day, the laughs and whispers and stares all revolved around me. I didn't get it. What had happened? What made everyone look at me like a liar and a traitor?

I walked into after-school practice utterly dejected. I could tell from Dimitri's pitying look that he, too, had heard how Princess Lissa ditched Rose. As we fought, I put as much of my frustration and confusion into my punches as possible. Before long, I had pinned Dimitri down on the floor. I had a sneaking suspicion that he let me win a bit, but all rational thought left me as he pulled me down on top of him.

The kiss was tender at first, then deepened as I pressed myself closer. His hands trailed lightly down my sides, coming to a stop at me waist. I entwined my hands in that silky brown hair of his, and when I came up for air, the smell of his cologne mingled with sweat made me melt. I was in heaven.

The, abruptly, he stopped. He gently rolled me off of him, then stood up. As he looked down at me, his eyes showed an interesting mixture of emotions: concern, love, and was that some distrust I saw? I groaned internally, still trying to figure out what the hell was going on to make everyone look at me like that.

"Be careful, Rose," he said quietly. With that, he slipped out gym, leaving me exhausted, confused, and maybe just a little high from his kiss and his scent.

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Lissa sat listlessly on he bed, silently wondering at her behavior all day. What had gotten into her? Eventually, she got up, intending to apologize to Rose, when she heard a cacophony rising from the first floor. Glass breaking, people screaming, wood splintering... and beneath it all, a strange singing that seemed to come from everywhere and nowhere at once. It pressed in on her, making her freeze. Faintly, beneath the haunting melody, she could make out the lyrics.

_"The darkness comforts_

_Draws you closer_

_Makes you want more_

_The darkness, the shadows_

_They pull you nearer_

_Entice you, body and mind_

_We are thirsty!"_

The last line a shout from below her, and she shuddered in terror. The music faded, but the screams continued. Acting on instinct, she tore out of her room and down the stairs to the dorm lobby. Her mind raced as she tried to locate the source of the commotions. There – the feeder room door was off its hinges on the ground, and broken in half. Across from it, a window was shattered, and broken glass covered the ground outside it. She ran to the feeder room, only to see an extraordinarily gruesome scene. In the middle of the room, two Moroi she knew lay on the floor in puddles of blood, with knives protruding from their back.

Camille Conta and Carly lay dead, murdered by the ones who had been keeping them alive.

Lissa's high-pitched shriek rose above the rest, and a bolt of terror passed through the bond between her and Rose right before she passed out.

Jacob, watching through the eyes of one of his 'seeds' surveyed the scene of destruction. The Academy was falling apart. He grinned maliciously, then turned to face the horde of Strigoi he now commanded.

**(A/N: Reviews, pretty pretty please? Big cliffie, sorry about that. Dead royals, oh noes. I'll be writing a LOT at camp, so expect more! But in the meantime... review for Kira, please!)**


	5. Changed

**Wow... so, um, I kinda got hit with some really bad writer's block. I could only write a few sentences at a time. So, not only did this chapter take way too long, it's shorter than normal and not nearly good as it should be. For that, you have my deepest apologies. -bows-**

**Disclaimer; Jacob is busy messing with everyone's minds (uh-oh, bit of a spoiler?), so it's my turn. Vampire Academy and its characters belong to Richelle Mead, not me. Only Jacob is mine.**

**A mega thanks to all the reviewers – if y'all weren't there, I wouldn't have bothered to try to get over the block! Thank you so so so very much! Please continue to help!**

**And now, we proceed with chapter 5! Please enjoy it!**

**Chapter 5: Changed**

When I felt the rush of terror shoot through the bond, I let out a yelp and leaped off the gym floor. I raced towards the door, but as soon as I reached it, the connection to Lissa went utterly quiet. A sinking feeling in my stomach told me something _very bad_ had happened to Lissa. I racked my brains for where she might be at this time of day, then decided on the dorms. I tore off in that direction, her earlier treatment of me forgotten.

Lissa was in danger.

That was all that mattered.

As I neared the Moroi dorms, I immediately saw that something was very, very wrong. The shattered glass on the ground was a pretty good tip-off. I burst into the lobby, only to find a wall of guardians blocking the way. Not a single head turned to look at me. I shoved my way through them, and what I saw had two effects; I instantly understood why no one cared right then, and my stomach rebelled so fiercely that I gagged.

On the floor of what looked to be a smaller version of the cafeteria's feeder room lay three motionless bodies. Camille. Carly. _Liss_. My brain numbly registered that of the three, only Lissa didn't have a knife sticking out of her back. As I was taking in the shared pool of blood under them, somebody's hand grabbed mine and lead me out of the dorm. I followed silently, stumbling a bit.

From very far away, I heard Alberta's voice saying, "You shouldn't have seen that, Rose. Go back to your dorm." She gave me a little push in that direction, then dashed back inside. Without thinking, I went and plopped myself down right outside the dorm, ready to pounce on the first person to exit. I waited. And waited. And waited some more. Finally, the door opened. _My hero!_ I thought, and leaped up to intercept them.

And crashed right into Lissa. Granted, she was paler than ever, but she was alive and moving. I sagged with relief and flung myself at her. As I wrapped my arms around her, I felt more than heard her sobs. I pushed all her earlier bitchiness even further aside and stroked her hair gently. She was trembling so hard I thought she'd fall apart. At that moment, Christian ran up, panting. I willingly handed her over to him – she needed him right now, not me. But I was okay with that. I was just happy she was okay.

Happy to be her best friend again.

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A few days passed. They kinda blurred together. The guardians endlessly questioned everyone. Not that it really mattered – they all knew feeders had done it. No other way would Moroi with magic be caught off guard like that. Classes had been canceled for a week to allow for mourning – and to give the guardians some time to beef up the defenses. The students spent most of the time whispering in their groups, speculating about what happened, and each version of the tale more epic than the last.

Some said that Lissa tried to defend the two girls. Some said she was there and simply didn't bother helping. The more malicious types said she did it, and fainted just to make it look real.

Those people and their tales were quickly ignored. Only the guardians, Lissa, Christian, and I knew the full story. I didn't like it one bit. The Moroi _relied _on the feeders immensely– what would happen now that some of the feeders had 'gone bad'?

A couple nights later, a soft knock on my door drew my out of my numb state. I was glad Lissa was okay, absolutely, but something about this whole ordeal was very, very wrong.

"Come in," I called, sounding a lot stronger than I felt. To my complete surprise, Dimitri stepped in, shutting the door behind him swiftly. I opened my mouth to ask what was wrong, but before I could say a word, his arms were around me, holding me to him tightly. For a split second I froze, but I melted into his warm embrace happily. We sat like that for a minute wordlessly. Finally, though, curiosity overwhelmed me.

"What's wrong?" I asked as I pulled back. His dark eyes gazed down at me, deep and full of sadness. Instead of answering me, he brought his lips down to mine gently. It was soft and sweet and tender at first, but as his hands wound into my hair, it got deeper. More urgent.

So much feeling was in it – frustration, sadness, hopelessness, confusion – so I decided words could wait. I pressed into him, matching the movement of my lips with his. Briefly, I thought back to when we had been hit by the lust spell, and felt a pang of regret as I realized that no matter what, that wouldn't happen again. As such, when his hands trailed up my sides, taking my shirt with them, I gave a little gasp of surprise. No _way_.

He paused, hearing my gasp. I tried to reassure him by nodding and kissing him again, but the damage was done. I loved that he respected me that way, but the man was too careful for his own good. Or maybe my own good. Whatever. I groaned inwardly as he stepped towards the door. After he opened it, he turned back to me, resting his hand lightly on the door frame. The look he gave me was helpless and mournful.

He didn't say a word the entire time. Perhaps I should have realized something was wrong then. As it was, I could only stare sadly at the closed door and wonder at what had made everyone change. Lissa, Mia, now Dimitri – were they ganging up on me, trying to mess with my mind? As I thought that, a man's face flashed through my mind. He had glowing red eyes and a malicious smile. Most of all, I noticed the jagged scar running from under his ear to below his collar. Frankly, he terrified me.

Quick as it came, though, it disappeared, leaving me shocked and confused. I flopped facefirst on my bed in a classic show of teenage angst. Dreams, fainting, betrayal, death – in the twisted soap opera of St. Vladimir's Academy, what could possibly be next?

**(A/N: And there ya go. Finally. Now you can see what I meant in the disclaimer. I'll try try tryyyyyy to get the next chapter up sooner! Please review, folks!)**


	6. Broken

**This is the beginning of the end, folks! I am SO very sorry it took so long! I've been on a creative block for like a month – no writing, no drawing, no painting, no new ideas. It was pathetic. But I've finally broken through it, and last night I finished up this chapter, and wrote two other one-shots. XD;**

**I apologize for adding in more OCs... someone had to break through things.**

**Disclaimer; No, I don't own Vampire Academy or any of its characters. Richelle Mead does. I only own Jacob, the twins, and the demon.**

**Chapter 6: Broken**

My world began to fall apart with the arrival of two new students. They left everyone perplexed. After all, they were neither Moroi nor dhampir. They weren't even _human_.

They were children of the moon – lycanthropes - in a _vampire_ academy.

The new kids were identical werewolf twins. Somehow, a genetic quirk allowed them to be identical and opposite genders. Frankly, it was freaky. Talis, the boy, and Relia, the girl, were completely alienated by the students. I almost felt sorry for them, obvious as they were with their russet skin and shiny black hair. Their features were distinctly Native American – werewolves by genetics, obviously – and they carried themselves with immense grace and pride. It was as if they thought themselves better than us. Which, of course, brought on instant dislike from all of us.

I quizzed Dimitri repeatedly as to why they were here, but my questions – and me, for that matter – were brushed aside. I grew more and more puzzled by his behavior. What had happened? Did someone find out? Where had the warm, caring Dimitri gone?

Days passed and still I got no answer. In the wake of the double murder, the guardians tightened security, requiring guardians everywhere. I hardly saw Dimitri anymore. As such, I was in a very bad mood just about all of the time. Unfortunate for the twins, for when they approached me one day at lunch, I was ready to lash out and anyone who dared speak to me.

And, being half vampire, a part of me already longed to tear them apart. I looked the pair over, making no attempt to disguise the acid in my eyes or my voice as I greeted them.

"Yes?"

"Rose Hathaway." They said, in perfect unison. It was a statement, not a question. Creepy. I nodded warily. Then, still in unison, they began humming. It was _the_ song, I was sure of it, but it didn't hold the same compelling darkness of the other version. The startled look on my face must have given away my recognition, for Talis broke off and grinned. When they spoke, they alternated, together forming coherent sentences.

"As we thought," Relia started.

"He's here."

"Finally."

"I wonder..."

"Do they work?" she finished.

I glanced from one to other, confused. Again, my face must have given me away, for together they reached for the pendants hanging from their necks. It was a small spiral, like an upside-down smoke swirl, wrapped around a gold five-pointed star. The spiral was carved from a dark, shiny rock – probably onyx or hematite – and glowed with a faint silver light. I stopped my scrutiny where the smiled widely.

"It's time."

"Let's get him, sister."

"For revenge!"

Then, satisfied, the twins turned on their heels and walked away. I sat frozen in silent wonder.

And, as it turned out, so did the entire cafeteria. Staring at me.

Great.

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In his clearing, Jacob grimaced, then sang even louder. The words flowed out of him powerfully. He forced his mind upon the new arrivals with even greater force, but to no avail. The children of the moon seemed to be immune.

Frustrated, he switched to the wordless version. His voice climbed and descended through the notes, weaving a spell of pure power. The net of compulsion sank over the twins' minds, then promptly dissolved. At this, he gave up, scowling.

That... _demon_, Ajakiel, had promised him it would work on any mind, any species. Jacob swore loudly. Despite the latest problem, he didn't dare take it up with the hulking red beast. Even to a Strigoi, the thing was frightening. He had the appearance of any child's nightmare, all horns and claws and scales, and so _big_! The main problem was, he wasn't just a brute; he was smart, and wickedly fast. Tense and worried, Jacob paced around the clearing with a cornered air. No doubt those vile wolves would notice his presence. And that...

That would not be good.

He'd have to act fast.

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-The Academy, 5 Days later-

Oh.

My.

God.

As of now, I am entirely friendless. Shunned. Ignored. Surrounded by whispers. I've endured a lot during my time here, but this tops it all.

Worst of all, I have _no idea_ why. The only people who bother to acknowledge me are the twins, but they hardly help.

Every ounce of affection Dimitri ever had for me is long gone. He is cold and distant. Dark. Sometimes, during practice, a look of bewilderment will cross his face, as if he doesn't understand what he's doing. Then the moment passes, and he becomes remote once again.

Finally, most alarmingly of all, is that the guardians _ignore_ everything. Their 'tightened security' faded within a couple of days. A dead body, drained of blood, was found of the grounds yesterday. There was hardly a stir. Everyone here is like a robot – just... going through the motions. It's as if a change has been wrought in the entire Academy's minds.

Except mine. I can see so clearly what's going on.

Strigoi.

I have gone to the guardians tens of times, but they persist in their ignorance. In their eyes, I have lost all of my credibility. To them, the marks on the back of my neck do not exist. Frankly, I'm scared. I can feel something evil stirring in the woods, and my blood boils at the lack of response to what, in my eyes, is painfully obvious.

Then, when I was walking back to the dorm, everything came crashing down. I was trudging along quietly and along, as had become my fashion. And that's when the proverbial shit hit the fan. A veritable army of Strigoi charged into the quad, causing students to scream and run with all they're made of. The Strigoi's eyes glowed with a menacing, _thirsty _light.

And they are all singing.

**(A/N: Crap, isn't it? M'sorry. But please review anyways! Pleasepleaseplease I need y'alls comments!)**


	7. AN Sorry

Hey guys.

I apologize again - and again, and again, and again - the for the absence of updates. The writer's block has not only continued, it's gotten worse. It's more of a creative block. I've done nothing remotely creative in months. I'm sliding further and further into depression, so while I'm not giving up on The Demon's Song - au contraire - don't expect any updates. I'm trying, really! But it gets more and more hopeless as the original inspiration dies further.

As of now, I'm currently about 1/3 through chapter 7. Oddly, it's the chapter I've been looking forward to most - the final clash.

Tantalizing? Well, I'm afraid you're gonna have to stew longer.

I will glomp anyone with ideas or encouragement. And you will get cake. I swear. D

So, again - I'm sorry. I'm trying. I love all of you who have supported me thus far. Please continue to help me in my quest to finish this fic!

Over and out,

Kira


	8. Surrounded

**Well, well, well. Finally. Chapter 7. Sorry about that delay. And I apologize doubly so that you've waited so long for this crap – it might be the last one, but it's not so great. Just so you know, I've got the epilogue written and ready to type. It'll be up tomorrow. Obviously, I was up late last night writing – I finished this, plus I wrote two Code Geass oneshots and finished up a couple other oneshots. Fun stuff.**

**So then, here it is. Enjoy!**

**Oh, and, of course, I don't own Vampire Academy.**

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Chaos.

The Academy burst into utter chaos. Some people appeared to by fighting their way out of a dream. Some were frozen with shock. Still others were leaping into action – scared, but determined. A lot of the novices, including myself, were in the last group. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Alberta pause to compose herself, then she began shouting orders.

"Second and third year novices! Surround the Moroi – form a barrier! Freshmen, fetch stakes from the storage room for all of us! Seniors and guardians! Form two lines in front of the Strigoi – cut them off!"

Most of her commands were taken to heart immediately – novices began moving about with a purpose. Only a few remained rooted to the spot – mostly younger ones – and had to be dragged into action. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Eddie glaring fiercely at the mob of Strigoi. It was his turn for revenge, I guess.

It all seemed to be working until a small group of Moroi forced their way out of the circle. They were led by Mia and Christian, and they all had focused, determined looks about them. Stunned, I watched as they marched up to join the front lines. Some adult must have opened their mouth to protest, for Christian flicked his wrist, sending a tongue of flame streaking towards a Strigoi. It leaped back, cursing and shouting.

About a hundred mouths dropped open in unison. I, however, smiled smugly. He had finally perfected that move Tasha taught him. From then on, no questions were asked. Later, I thought. Later there will be questions.

Then and there, though, all focus was on one thing: survival. Frays were breaking out all along the line. I watched with growing apprehension as it was slowly forced back, and then the Strigoi were upon, too. I sent fists and feet flying into whatever target possible. I didn't discriminate between friend or foe, so I probably hit some of my classmates, but at that point, I didn't care.

Later, I was told that for every Strigoi killed, two of us went down. In that seemingly endless battle, it seemed so much worse. When the stakes arrived, the ground became soaked in blood. I don't remember many of the details of it all, and I don't want to. Most of the novices, and even some of the guardians, blocked the night from the memory.

After all, it was unheard of – a mass attack on an establishment like the school? Not exactly your textbook case.

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After an excruciatingly long time, only a handful of Strigoi were left. Numbers, at least, were on our side. I was covered in cuts and bruises, and I was on the verge of passing out from exhaustion. Adrenaline was all that kept me going, but everything was out of focus – I hadn't cared which Strigoi I was stabbing for a while.

That is, until _he_ stepped into view. It was _him_, the wretched man from my dreams. He was remarkably unscathed, striding toward the remains of our group with a confident air. He stopped about ten yards away, and smiled the most malicious smile I have ever seen.

"Why _hello _there, Rose! I'm so glad you're still standing!" His voice was sickly sweet, adorned with spikes and honey. A sort of strangled growl escaped me at his words. Finally, my torturer! In the flesh!

He was _so _in for it.

I felt, rather than saw, several of my comrades back away from me. However, from behind me, a voice called out, "That's him, Rose?" Dimitri. I nodded, letting another growl escape. I was pissed. My hands were clenched in fists of rage.

"Rose..." Dimitri murmured. "Control..."

I very nearly laughed. Control? Now? Yeah right.

"Rose." I gave a start. That was Lissa! I checked on her through the bond – something else I hadn't done in a while – and was stunned to find that she hadn't even been scratched. _Christian must have been protecting her_, I thought unhappily. _Something I haven't done in a while._

"Rose," she said again. "Please be careful. Please." I nodded tersely.

And then threw caution out the proverbial window as I charged the Strigoi in front of me. I let loose a battle cry of sorts and felt Lissa do a sort of mental facepalm. I smirked. Adrenaline doesn't allow for being careful.

Surprisingly, amazingly, all the other Strigoi didn't try to touch me as I flew past them. Then I saw flashes of smiles, and then I was upon him.

And oh boy, I went all out. I fought like never before. I'm sure Dimitri was proud. I flew at him with a side kick; right as he grabbed the foot, I twisted my body around and sent a fist into his jaw. Man, did it feel good.

He let go of my foot and I dropped to the ground with a thud. The punch had, of course, barely affected him. I had to scramble off the ground and out of the way as his foot came down hard.

Quick as a snake, his other foot caught me in the side. Without pause, a fist came out of nowhere and got me in my head. Stars flew across my field of vision, and I stumbled and struggled to keep my footing. It suddenly struck me that this guy was good. Like, really good. At that point, the first traces of fear began to seep in.

Ignoring those faint beginnings, I flung myself at him again. Yet, as each blow was effortlessly blocked and parried, I felt my initial burst beginning to fade. After all, all I had were my limbs. No stake, no sword, no magic. Against a super-strong, super-fast immortal vampire.

Certainly not the best position to be in.

Grimacing, I shifted from defensive to offensive again. I was already feeling the backlash, but I couldn't be bothered to pause and figure out exactly where I was hurting. Just as the Strigoi was reaching up to block another punch, his hand burst into flames. As I silently thanked whatever Moroi had done it, a voice found its way over to our battleground.

"Rose! Catch!" For some reason, it sounded very much like Mason. I whirled around to a stake hurtling through the air towards me. I caught it effortlessly and whirled around to strike, only to stop short.

In an instant, his hand was on my throat, grabbing, squeezing, and then I was off the ground. I gasped for air, struggling hopelessly against the iron cables of his fingers. The stake embedded itself in the ground after it slipped from my fingers.

"Did you really think I'd let you do that, you impertinent little twit?" He emphasized his last three words by tightening his grip further, something I hadn't thought possible. My feet dangled limply and uselessly, barely brushing the ground. The world was starting to lose clarity – shapes blurred and darkened, and everything seemed rather detached.

_Hm_, I thought absently. _So this is what it feels like to die. Odd_.

Thunk.

Huh?

The grip on my neck loosened substantially, and I came back to myself, the fresh oxygen searing my lungs.

Thunk.

The grip lessened again. By that point, I had managed to figure enough out to act. Somebody was the Strigoi something, and though I wasn't sure why, I took advantage of the situation and chpped down on his forearm sharply. He finally dropped me, and I fell to the ground in a heap, gasping and rubbing my neck.

The Strigoi was, apparently, being stoned. The rocks couldn't have been hurting him much at all but his eyes were wide in – terror? shock? Whatever it was, he wasn't moving.

Opportunity much?

Ignoring the pain occupying just about every part every part of my body, I snatched up the stake and heaved myself off the ground. Moving slowly, so as not to distract him from his inner demons, I advanced upon the Strigoi. Finally, withing striking distance, I tensed, recalling Dimitri's staking lessons.

Then, in a flash, the enchanted silver was sinking into his flesh and he was screaming. It was a terrible, keening sound that ripped out of him into the icy dawn. It seemed to go on and on, even long after he had finally crumpled and died.

Finally - silence.


	9. Finished

**Whew... finally. Sorry it took so long when it was promised to be like a day wait. XD A couple reviews made me totally rethink the last chapter, and thus, it was rewritten, much slower. As I hoped, I finished this before the release of Shadow Kiss. (12 days!) It was the perfect way to relieve the wait. I'm so proud of myself for finishing this, and I'm so glad so many people liked it. Thank you to all my reviewers – every last one of you. Even the annoying ones begging for new chapters. Love you all! Thanks for sticking with this fic through the waits and all the other crap.**

**Disclaimer: For the last time, I do not own Vampire Academy. Richelle Mead does.**

**And with that, let the final chapter begin.**

**Finished**

I took a deep breath and held it, reaching deep inside me for some last shred of energy as I struggled to remain standing. Failing that, I collapsed to the ground, panting like a dog. I felt, rather than heard, people approach me cautiously. None of my senses were working properly, especially my eyes and ears. All I heard was a dull roaring, and my vision was hazy at best. The shapes in front of me blurred and darkened, and then my consciousness left me in one great big _whoof_.

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I woke slowly, clinging tightly to the phantom of sleep. A relieved sigh broke my grip, and I groggily opened my eyes to see who was fussing over me this time. A pair of soft green eyes stared back at me, concerned but full of life. Lissa called for Dr. Olendzki, who gave me the usual look-over. This really was becoming a habit. How sad.

As Dr. Olendzki lectured me, I saw Lissa practically bouncing in her seat, waiting to explode. Sure enough, as soon as we were alone, the torrent began.

"Rose, Oh, thank God you're alright! I couldn't heal you 'cause of the medicine, and it seemed like you'd never wake up, and with all that's been going on, sometimes they wouldn't even let me visit you! Everything's been so crazy – none of the Strigoi seem remember what happened, and nor the Strigoi that killed -" She sobered up quickly. "That killed Camille and Carly. But... but I do. I remember how I treated you. Oh, God, Rose, I'm so sorry!" Abruptly, she started bawling. Stunned, I went to reach up to stroke her hair, only to realize my right arm was enclosed in a cast.

"Damn." My annoyed expletive stopped Lissa mid-rant. Ignoring her questioning look, I tested each part of my body.

Left arm? Check.

Right arm? In a cast, but check.

Legs? Sore, but check.

Gingerly, I tried to lever myself up, but stopped immediately as a multitude of pains shot through me.

Yikes.

"Lis," I began, all serious-like, "could you do me a favor?" Hesitantly, she nodded, so I continued, allowing a teasing tone to enter my voice. "Get off that medicine of yours right now," I joked, "and heal me. Good Lord! Adrenaline must work miracles for me to have not felt a thing!" I grinned, and she answered with a similar smile before sobbing again.

"Thank God... thank God you're alright, Rose..."

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Many, many tears later, Lissa left the infirmary, wanted to stay but too exhausted to. She was replaced by the person I wanted to see least and most – Dimitri. He had chagrin written all over his face as he entered. Before he could even close the door, I was talking.

"Stop looking like that! You and Lissa both. Geez. It's not your fault and you know it! Now get over here where I can reach you," I said, exasperated, and motioned feebly to my left side.

Still not giving him the chance to talk, I grabbed him by his shirt collar and yanked his face down to my level and kissed him fiercely. Thank goodness these beds were so high. It took him a beat to relax, but once he did, let's just say it's a very, very good thing nobody decided to check on me right then.

When we finally broke apart, gasping, he smiled softly. My message couldn't have been clearer, after all.

Forgiven and forgotten.

It was over.

_Fin._

**(And that's all, folks! Again, thanks for sticking with this pile of crap! -kicks it- Haha, reviews would still be loved, though~!)**


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